It’s a very different team than last time he was there, but it appears Mike Brown is returning to Cleveland.

The Cavaliers have a deal in place to bring Mike Brown back as coach, replacing Byron Scott, who replaced Mike Brown three years ago (after Brown had led the Cavaliers to back-to-back 60-win seasons with LeBron James, but lost in the playoffs).

Mike Brown and the Cavaliers have reached a handshake agreement on a new deal, a league source told the Akron Beacon Journal on Tuesday. An official announcement should be made Wednesday.

There are still some issues to work out, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. This is a five-year deal in the $20 million range but with a buyout in the final year, Woj reports. The real issues may revolve around how much say Brown would have players/personnel decisions. But it appears they are not big hurdles to climb as a formal deal is imminent. Also, talks are ongoing about how much the Lakers would still owe Brown of his $4 million salary for next season they were going to have to pay him.

Expect the Cavaliers to insist on an offense-minded assistant coach to run that end of the show.

Brown had started the season as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, trying to install a Princeton-hybrid offense that Kobe Bryant has asked for, but that lasted all of five games before he was fired. In an effort to talk to every Lakers coach of the last decade (except Frank Hamblen) the Cavaliers also reached out to Phil Jackson. But bringing him out of retirement was going to be very costly and he would want a lot of power.

Brown makes more sense. Yes, he’s a retread. But he’s a defense-first coach and that is what he Cavaliers need right now — they can score as long as Kyrie Irving is healthy, but they were 26th in the NBA in defensive efficiency (points allowed per possession) last season. Improve that end and the team can make a big jump.

Some of you will be asking “what does this do to Cleveland’s chances to land LeBron in 2014?” I would say nothing — I don’t think Cleveland was ever really in the running. I don’t think there is much of a running, period. Despite how much people like to speculate about it, very few people in the know think LeBron is leaving Miami when he opts out, he’s just going to get a new deal with the Heat. I’ve heard multiple people who know LeBron better than I say they think he will return to Cleveland at the end of his career, but not in 2014.

You probably answered “the Clippers.” Most fans do. So do most NBA referees — And everyone else. Which is why after a recent loss to Golden State, veteran Marreese Speight (a Warrior last season) pointed to the Clippers complaining about the officiating as part of the problem.

He went on to say that the scouting report is you can get in the Clippers’ heads by knocking them around a little. Which seems pretty obvious when you watch teams play them. Shockingly, Clippers coach Doc Rivers disagrees with that. Via NBCLosAngeles.com.

“The officiating thing, I don’t think, is our issue. I will say that,” said Rivers about the technical fouls. “If that were the problem, then, Golden State would be struggling. They’ve been No. 2 the last two years in techs, too. I think we need to point fingers in another direction than that.”

Doc may not like it, but Speights is right.

The Warriors do complain too much, but they also have a ring so more is forgiven. The problem for the Clippers is that reputation for complaining starts with Rivers — he complains as much or more than any coach in the league. Then it filters down through Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Is it fair that more is forgiven with winning? Moot question. Welcome to America. The Clippers complain a lot and have yet to get past the second round with this core. And at times there standing there complaining to the referees does get in the way of them getting back into defense, and they seem to go in a funk.

The Pelicans are disappointing this season — it is Anthony Davis vs. the world down there. Which is the main reason they are 7-16 this season. While things have gotten better since Jrue Holiday‘s return, Davis is averaging a league-best 31.4 points per game, it then drops off to Holiday at 15.4, and then E'Twaun Moore at 11.1.

When a team struggles, usually that is a bad sign for the coach. Not because it’s always their fault, but because GMs choose not to fire themselves for poor roster construction. Which leads to the question: Alvin Gentry, are you concerned about your job? (Warning, NSFW)

New Orleans’ struggles are not on Gentry, certainly not completely. He’d like a roster that can play uptempo, that has depth. What he got instead was a good point guard, an elite 4/5, a rookie in Buddy Hield that maybe pans out down the line, and then… nada. And the roster Gentry has often is banged up.

If anyone is in trouble, it is GM Dell Demps. Remember, Danny Ferry was hired last summer for the vague role of “special advisor.” Gentry is in his second year, and the issue is the roster he was given. But the Pelicans are a patient organization that values continuity, so… who knows. But the clock is ticking on Davis;, it’s years away, but the Pelicans need to build a team around him and are far from that right now.

Jones told the Beacon Journal he will retire after next season, which will be his 15th in the NBA. His ultimate dream is to ride off after three consecutive championships in Cleveland

“I know playing 15 years is a number where I can look back and I can be like, ‘I accomplished something,’ ” Jones said. “Fourteen vs. 15 may not be much, but to be able to say I played 15 years, that’s enough for me to hang ’em up.”

Jones’ contract expires after the season, so the Cavs will have a say in whether he returns. Safe to say if LeBron wants him back, Jones will be back.

But the Heat got into trouble relying on washed-up veterans around LeBron, wasting valuable roster spots on players who could no longer contribute.

Is that Jones? Not yet. Though he’s out of the rotation, he has still made 11-of-12 open 3-pointers this season. There’s a role for him as spot-up shooter when Cleveland needs one.

Still, the Cavaliers ought to be mindful of Jones’ likely decline over the next year and a half. Plus, it’s not a certainty he holds to his timeline. Cavs veterans have a history of changing their mindon retirement.